Syria was hit with three deadly car bombs over the weekend in which up to 27 people are said to have died.
The government there has blamed terrorists for the attack in Damascus and Aleppo, where support is high for President Assad.
But the opposition claims the authorities have staged the bombs.
Newsbeat has been speaking to some young British Syrians who support President Assad and blame armed gangs and outsiders for causing the trouble.
Nineteen-year-old Haneen and 24-year-old Shoruk are from Latakia but moved to the UK in the 90s.
They say they've received death threats from opposition groups, but agreed to talk to us.
Why do you support President Bashar al-Assad?
"Right now he is the only person who can carry out the transition of power," they said.
"There is no strong alternative. The FSA (Free Syrian Army) and SNC (Syrian National Council) are mainly made up of exiled Syrians, and haven't even got a manifesto.
"We don't want the country to fall into the hands of extremists.
"The fact is he is still very much supported otherwise he would have fallen from power."
But isn't he only in power because he has the army on his side?
"No, the Syrian army works for the Syrian people.
"They are made up of the sons of Syrian families.
"If they didn't agree with Assad, all of them would have defected.
"We have family and friends back home who regularly tell us people are calling for the army to help them."
More than 8,000 people have died. Isn't Assad's position indefensible?
"That number also includes soldiers and pro-Assad supporters, but you never hear that."
But the fact is people are dying every day.
"Yes and it's heart-breaking and we feel sick about it, but opposition fighters need to put their arms down.
"The government has called for dialogue and has agreed to reforms but the FSA won't listen.
The opposition would say it's the other way around and how can they take reforms seriously when they're being bombed by government forces?
"We don't claim the government is perfect. There is no such thing.
"But like we've said it is defending its people who are regularly being attacked by extremist groups that have flooded into the region."
So you believe Assad when he says the unrest is a foreign conspiracy?
"Yes. Syria is the only secular state in the region and certain Arab nations want to destabilise it.
"Look at Egypt, where Islamist regimes are trying to take over.
"Sectarianism in the region is a sure fire way of dividing the Arabs and Muslims and weakening Syria.
"If Syria falls its allies will disappear: Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon. These groups are considered enemies by Israel.
"If they go the resistance against Israel will be shattered leaving her and the West free to reign in the region.
"Every Syrian knows this, Assad knows this, which is why by staying in power he won't allow it to happen."
- Published1 March 2012
- Published9 February 2012
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